I have always had a passion for science; as early as second grade I was combing through various Time-Life books on the oceans, space, and so on to create reports for the class. This was my idea of a leisure activity; I wasn’t required to do this by the teacher or the curriculum. In middle school, my Physical Science teacher permitted me to skip class once a week and walk across the street to the high school, where I could sit in on Chemistry classes. In high school, I had the pleasure of having Mr. Archie Fairley for Advanced Physics and Advanced Biology, and memories of his teaching style continue to inspire me. From his classroom demonstrations to his wonderful sense of humor, he succeeded in making the subject matter enormously interesting, even for students that were less inspired by the sciences. As a teacher, I hope to demonstrate on a daily basis the same passion he clearly had for science, and help students see the beauty and wonder of the natural world.